Alt.Latino – Details, episodes & analysis

Over the past month thousands of Venezuelans have taken to the streets to protest the disputed election of president Nicolás Maduro, while Venezuelan artists like Danny Ocean use music to reflect on this political moment. But Ocean's work is just one data point in a long history of music from Venezuela that embodies the political opinions and emotions of those within the country and the diaspora.

On this week's episode, Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre are joined by producer Isabella Gomez Sarmiento to walk through crucial moments in Venezuela's political history over the last 30 years, and the music that soundtracked it.

Songs featured in this episode:

•Yordano, "Por estas calles"
•Carlos Baute, "Yo me quedo en Venezuela"
•Canserbero, "Es Épico"
•Danny Ocean, "Me Rehúso"
•Apache, "Rompiendo el Hielo"

Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Taylor Haney, with editorial support from Hazel Cills, Zach Thompson, Tony Cavin and Didi Schanche. Our project manager is Grace Chung. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed. Our VP of Music and Visuals is Keith Jenkins.

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Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre run through their favorite new music, including new work from Venezuelan artist Danny Ocean in the midst of the country's political crisis, Girl Ultra leaning into her techno side, funky, electro-cumbia from Superfónicos and more.

Songs featured in this episode:

•Superfónicos, "Renaceré"
•Girl Ultra, "lalala"
•Fuerza Regida, "TUQLO"
•Danny Ocean, "por la pequeña Venecia"
•Lisa Morales, "Hermanitas in the Rain"
•Jazz Orishas, "Deniye"

Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Taylor Haney, with editorial support from Hazel Cills. Our project manager is Grace Chung. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed. Our VP of Music and Visuals is Keith Jenkins.

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The release of Beyoncés Cowboy Carter has sparked a national conversation about who gets to sing country music and the complex roots of the genre. Which got Alt.Latino thinking — what about the Latinos in country?

This week, Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras travel to Austin, Texas to speak with AmeriChicana musician Carrie Rodriguez about the difference between violin and fiddle, strings and "strangs," and who gets to play country music.

Songs featured:
•Carin Leon, Leon Bridges: "It Was Always You (Siempre Fuiste Tu)"
•Cuco Sanchez: "La Cama de Piedra"
•Merle Haggard: "Big City"
•Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys: "San Antonio Rose"
•Robert Earl Keen: "Feelin' Good Again"
•Chip Taylor, Carrie Rodriguez: "Dirty Little Texas Story"
•Eva Garza: "Quiero Verte Una Vez Mas"
•Rick Trevino: "Doctor Time"
•Ruben Ramos: "Crying Time"
•Sammy Arriaga: "Tennessee Whiskey - Spanglish"
•The Mavericks: "There Goes My Heart"
•Louie TheSinger: "Come and Take It"
•Carrie Rodriguez: "I Dreamed I Was Lola Beltran"
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Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Joaquin Cotler. Hazel Cills is the podcast editor and digital editor for Alt.Latino, and our project manager is Grace Chung. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed. Our VP of Music and Visuals is Keith Jenkins.

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Shakira just released her first album in seven years, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, and most listeners and critics have high praise. But this episode of Alt.Latino puts the record to the test.

Felix Contreras, Anamaria Sayre and NPR's Isabella Gomez Sarmiento talk about what makes a Shakira record a Shakira record, how pop artists reinvent themselves and loving your favorite artists even if you don't always love their music.

Songs featured in this episode:
•Shakira: "Puntería"
•Shakira: "La Fuerte"
•Shakira: "Obtener un Si"
•Shakira: "El Jefe"
•Paul Simon: "You Can Call Me Al"
•Shakira: "Cómo Dónde y Cuándo"
•Santana: "Smooth"
•Shakira: "Cohete"
•Karol G, Shakira: "TQG"
•Miles Davis: "Bitches Brew"
•Shakira: "Monotonía"
•Shakira: "Escondite Ingles"

Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Joaquin Cotler. Hazel Cills is the podcast editor and digital editor for Alt.Latino, and our project manager is Grace Chung. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed. Our VP of Music and Visuals is Keith Jenkins.

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The weather's heating up and so are the music releases. The hosts of Alt.Latino share their most quintessentially them picks, with Latin jazz across the board from Felix and indie pop-rock bops from Ana.

The two sit down to ping-pong favorite picks back and forth from different parts of the country — plus, Felix puts Ana's picks to an impromptu test.

Featured tracks:

Lara Project, "Extraños"
Julieta Eugenio, "Breath I"
Esteman, Villano Antillano, "Noches de Verano"
Rodrigo Recabarren, Pablo Menares, Yago Vazquez, "Santiago"
Elsa y Elmar, "entre las piernas"
Hurray for the Riff Raff, "Hawkmoon"

Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Joaquin Cotler. Hazel Cills is the podcast editor and digital editor for Alt.Latino, and our project manager is Grace Chung. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed. Our VP of Music and Visuals is Keith Jenkins.

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Is it really a good idea to take a vacation with your coworkers? If you're part of the Alt.Latino team, it is.
Last month Alt.Latino co-host Anamaria Sayre decided to join Felix Contreras on a planned trip to attend the 39th annual Havana Jazz Festival, an international event that attracts fans of both Cuban music and jazz from around the world. Spread out among several historic venues around the Cuban capital city, the team spent eight days taking in the sights and sounds of one of the oldest cities in Latin America. Hours before they returned home, Felix and Ana recorded this episode reflecting on everything they heard and the legacy of Cuba's musical diversity.

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As the chill remains in the air for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere and the heat of summer warms up the South, we take time to listen to new music from both parts of the world.

Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre round up their favorite new music, including Southern Cone rock and cumbia, atmospheric vocals from the U.S. and even some delicate yet emotionally powerful music from the Catalan region of Spain.

Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Joaquin Cotler. Hazel Cills is the podcast editor and digital editor for Alt.Latino and our project manager is Grace Chung. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed. Our VP of Music and Visuals is Keith Jenkins.

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Nothing captures the agony of love, loss, hope and redemption like the song form known across all of Latin America: the bolero.

Last December, UNESCO declared the bolero "an intangible cultural heritage of humanity" and "an indispensable part of the Latin American sentimental song." And given that Valentine's Day is coming up, Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre did something special this week, in honor of this news: they asked some of their favorite artists and show listeners to share their most-loved boleros, and break down exactly what makes them so special. Join Felix and Ana as they laugh, cry and sing a little to the love songs of the ages.

And be sure to check out the playlists we made for this episode, feature Ana and Felix's picks, as well as the selections from featured artists and listeners, on Spotify and Apple Music.

Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Joaquin Cotler. Hazel Cills is the podcast editor and digital editor for Alt.Latino and our project manager is Grace Chung. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed. Our VP of Music and Visuals is Keith Jenkins.

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Vocalist Ana Tijoux has been a frequent guest on Alt.Latino. That's because ever since her US debut, 1977, was released in 2010, Tijoux had been at the forefront of Latin music that celebrates creative innovation, themes of social justice and fierce independence.
In this week's episode the Chilean musician talks to Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre about why that spirit of innovation has been more or less silent for the last 10 years, and how her new album, Vida, is not only a chance to catch up, but also a deeply moving look back.

Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Joaquin Cotler, with production support from Suraya Mohamed and Isabella Gomez Sarmiento. Hazel Cills is the podcast editor and digital editor for Alt.Latino and our project manager is Grace Chung. Our VP of Music and Visuals is Keith Jenkins.

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In the earliest days of the show, Alt.Latino's mailbox was usually piled high with CDs of new music from both emerging and well-known artists.

Now, Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre's email and social media accounts continue to open up new musical worlds at Alt.Latino and — in turn — all of you. The show starts 2024 with some great tracks from names you may know and a couple of bands that Felix and Ana think deserve wider recognition.

Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Joaquin Cotler, with production support from Suraya Mohamed. Hazel Cills is the podcast editor and digital editor for Alt.Latino. Our VP of Music and Visuals is Keith Jenkins.

To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

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